


Hidden Allies

by ahunmaster



Series: Gladiator AU [10]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Gladiators, Alternate Universe - Human, Corruption, Dialogue Heavy, Gen, Implied Relationships, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Long Shot, OCs - Freeform, One Shot, Original Character(s), Plot, Politics, Rebellion, Scheming, Serious, Slavery, megatron - Freeform, other characters are mentioned but not seen, this is just two guys talking serious about stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-05
Updated: 2017-04-05
Packaged: 2018-10-15 01:57:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10548110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ahunmaster/pseuds/ahunmaster
Summary: Someone is trying to get Shockwave's attention and he will not be played with.  He will find out who it is that is using his own code to get his attention.





	

 

Shockwave was getting tired of this.  Three 'deliveries' he had had to send away so far, claiming a wrong address.  His paranoia was getting to him and with Eclipse hiding in Megatron's home at this time, he feared someone was trying to sneak around to see if she was hiding with the gladiator champion.

 

But then Bombrush had come to him with something very odd.

 

"Those weird deliveries you've been getting?  I've gotten one as well.  It contained blue silk, some red wine, and three small bronze statues.  You know what's going on with this?"

 

It was how he communicated with his spies.  Or rather the ones that were very deep into cover that regular messages were too risky for them.

 

But he was not expecting anything like this.  This was... too out in the open.

 

Someone was trying to contact him.

 

Shockwave should have ignored it, but if this person knew what the code was... there were too many variables.  Were they trying to reach him?  Was it a trap?  Or someone playing with him?

 

He was taking a great risk coming alone, but he had warned Megatron and the others about this.  Whatever this person wanted, he would find out.

 

Arriving at the docks, Shockwave pulled out a pipe and began to smoke.  He didn't smoke often, but it was something he did enough times that it was able to be used as a means of communicating without words or signals.

 

It only took ten minutes before a young man came to the docks next to him with a pipe of his own.

 

"You mind sharing a light?"

 

Shockwave knew this wasn't one of his.  None of him men would dare approach him or even talk to him at these drop points.  And here, where anyone could be listening in from the many hidden corners, no contact was to be made.

 

But his other hint was that he recognized the voice.  He only had to turn and hold out his lit pipe to see Airstream use it to lit his own pipe.

 

"You are either very brave or very stupid to approach a stranger like this."

 

"You're a difficult bastard to catch, so I'd call this meeting lucky if anything."

 

Shockwave glared at the young man.  The poor fool was always very vocal about his objections and though he didn't follow his corrupt parents into the business venture, he was still a liability.  Airstream's younger sister was now the slave of Bombrush's only son.  Though Bloodshed would never harm the young woman, being a slave was still something the young man had not been proud of even though it was out of everyone's control.  It was his own parents that had sold her into it, not them.

 

"This isn't a very popular spot," Shockwave glanced around the dirty docks and the sea water that smelled foul, "A rich boy like you should be home drinking his mother's wine and watching his father's whores entertain for dinner."

 

"As if I'd go back to that horrid place."

 

"Says the incompetent boy who's destined to follow his dear father's path into business because it's all he's ever understood in his privileged life."

 

Airstream let out a string of air from his pipe before letting out a deep huff, "Is that how you see me? The grand spymaster of your... little group only sees me as the little rich boy? I must be doing better than I thought."

 

That drew Shockwave's attention. And slightly discomfort, especially if there were people watching him. He knew of many senators, Nemesis included, who had spies on him, even if he was good at keeping them at bay. It was still dangerous to discuss such matters in the open.  

 

"What do your implications really mean?" 

 

Airstream sucked on his pipe for another long moment, letting the quiet fill the void before he began to softly chuckle to himself. "You see, Sir Shockwave... I'm very good at pretending. Not like you or your... friends, but I'm very good. I have to be to survive - a social death can be just as terrible as a physical one, if not worse. I've seen plenty of people rise... only to fall flat on their faces due to a secret getting out."

 

"Where are you going with this?"

 

"I know how to play the game, Shockwave. And I know how to pretend. It's why I've gotten so close to people. And it's why a lot of valuable laundry has conveniently placed for stalking crows to find." 

 

Now it was starting to make sense.  The sudden increase in reports and the vast amount of intel and blackmail his spies were receiving.  He thought maybe they had caught a break, but it seems as though they had gained a valuable ally without even knowing it.

 

"So... you know have my attention.  And now you have me out here for the crows to peck at.  Did you bring me out here to gloat?"

 

"Why?  Because I'm a spoiled, little rich boy?"

 

Shockwave gripped his pipe harder.  While he was more clever than he first thought, Airstream was still as cocky as his peers.

 

"I'll admit, it's fun watching you squirm when I've only ever seen you as impassable as you are in our meetings at the pit long ago," Airstream let out another cloud of smoke, "But I'm afraid this meeting is about something more important than pride."

 

"And that is?"

 

Airstream didn't answer right away, staring out into the ocean as if debating whether or not to say what he wanted to say, "Nemesis is starting to move."

 

That finally made Shockwave's facade drop as he turned fully to the younger man.  "That's a rather fine accusation you claim to know.  While your ability to play the grand game is impressive, what can a young businessman like yourself know of the Senate?"

 

"A successful businessman needs friends at the top to make more than a few coins in the market.  Luckily for me, my family is well connected and the clients like to keep it within the family."

 

"You would run with the same crowd that your father does?  After what he did to your sister?"

 

"A businessman must do with what he has.  And besides, as family, they're more than willing to talk about other things besides business at the feasts they provide."

 

"This is more than getting back at your parents," Shockwave insinuated.

 

"... If I were to be honest, then my only reason for doing this- well, reasons to be more exact, are quite selfish."

 

Shockwave studied the young man.  "... Your sister will be freed if Megatron succeeds."

 

"I've tried to buy her.  But technically, since my parents sold her to the Gladiator Masters, I can't just buy her back from her current owner or his father," Shockwave could hear the growl even though Bloodshed and Bombrush's names weren't said outright.  "She's still... good property for the current Gladiator Champion and they won't think of selling her until she's no longer as desirable."

 

"Which is either years from now or her in a state none of us would wish to see her in."

 

Airstream's grip on the pipe looked close to cracking it.  "And the Champions do change.  Sometimes one stays at the top of his Pit for years - your boss is a good example of that.  Sometimes it’s only one fight when a slip catches a sword in the gut."

 

It was true.  Bloodshed had been Champion for six years, not as long as Megatron, but still an impressive feat.  But who was to say if he would be as lucky as Megatron?

 

So long as the Pits and slavery existed, the danger would always been there for those like Bloodshed and Thornstriker.  Shockwave knew that Airstream would not risk his sister's life hoping to buy her back in a few years; the sooner Megatron came into power, the faster she could be freed.

 

"So the increased intel you kept sending me was to speed up Megatron's cause?  You doubt the current champion will be able to stay on the top for that long and keep your sister safe from others?"

 

Airstream let out a long stream of smoke as he let his pipe hang from his hand.  "I'm not the only one who has a lot riding on this rebellion your master is trying to assemble."

 

Shockwave was not happy to hear that.  He should have; if Airstream had allies who saw profit and similar causes in his lord's rebellion, it would help them greatly.  But he didn't know who they were or what they hoped to get out of seeing Megatron take control of Rome.  Were they hoping to capitalize on the chaos after the rebellion ended?

 

"I'm not here to tell you I wish to capitalize on the potential success," he said, looking out at the water. "I'm merely letting you know you have more allies than you believe."

 

"But you come with a price."

 

He laughed once, though it was rather dry and humorless. Leave it to Shockwave to figure everything out with just a quick look... But that was why Megatron made a genius like him his spymaster, after all. 

 

"Just one."

 

Shockwave huffed, feeling more irritated than before. Of course. Airstream may have been on their side, but like all would-be senators, nothing came free. This man may have thought he was smart, but really, he was just as arrogant as his own father and his pathetic friends. Still, he could play off of that. "Very well. Your terms."

 

"All I want is for your master to judge my parents with... extreme prejudice."

 

That made sense. With his father out of the way, Airstream would become head of his estate and would ultimately replace his father in the senate. As for Ratjaw's personal involvement with Nemesis and the others fighting against Megatron, he would have to look over that. Still, it wouldn't actually cost anything, it seemed.

 

"You want your father's position then."

 

"I want my father and mother dead. The power and fortune are merely benefits." 

 

Shockwave made a mental note to himself to try and find any dirt on Airstream and his parents’ relationship.  Perhaps there was something that had happened that led to the young man wanting them gone.  If he had something, he could use it to keep businessman in line after the rebellion if he needed to.

 

But for now, he would have to accept working with the man.  Who knows when such an opportunity like this could arise for such valuable information?  And if he was being truthful about Nemesis, they needed to get themselves ready before Nemesis did.  If agreeing to such terms from this young man was all he asked, he could deal with it.  He would make sure Airstream wasn't working for anyone else later.

 

If anything, they still had the man's sister.  Thornstriker was never far from Bloodshed or his friends.  Perhaps he could use her to ensure no such betrayal.

 

"Very well.  If you want Megatron to have your parents executed, that will be no issue for us once we seize control."

 

"Then I believe we are done here," Airstream took one last huff from his pipe before dumping the contents out over the water.  "Once you speak to your master about our little deal, you know how to contact me should you need me to dig up anything else for you."

 

Shockwave only nodded as the other walked away out of sight.  Well, that had certainly been rather informative.  Even though he had what he thought was the businessman's plans all set out in front of him, he still felt as if he had been used in some way.  Whatever Airstream hoped to get out of this was something he needed to figure out before Megatron set off his rebellion.

 

He waited a bit, finishing his smoke before he too dumped his pipe's remains into the water and headed back home.  Megatron would certainly want to know of all this and he would have to have a word with Bombrush as well.  This would help them greatly, but now they had to deal with someone not entirely on their side who could become a loose end.

 

And Shockwave knew what happened to loose ends if they weren't dealt with properly.  And he would not risk his master's life's work because of some spoiled rich boy.

 

There was a lot he would have to get done before the matches tonight.  He wasn't going to bring this all to Megatron before today's matches were done.

 

Oh no, by the time Megatron came to meet with him tonight for supper, Shockwave would have everything in order so that his master would be able to deal with Airstream accordingly and with the new intel they would be receiving.

 

If everything went right, Megatron's dream would be one step closer to being a reality.

 

END


End file.
